Rigid Friction Brake Tether

Abstract

A rigid tether for use with a friction brake. The tether has a rigid handle with a pulley arm and pulley at one end. The friction brake is attached to rotate about a brake hole at one end of the handle. A pulley arm with pulley is attached to rotate about a pulley hole at the other end of the handle. The pulley arm is two parallel plates, a fixed plate and a gate plate, with an axle between them on which his mounted the pulley. The plates, pulley, and handle define a rope slot. The gate plate can pivot on the axle to provide access to the rope slot.

1 . A friction brake tether comprising:
 (a) an elongated rigid handle having a brake end and a pulley end, the brake end having a through brake hole and the pulley end having a through pulley hole;   (b) a pulley arm including a fixed plate, a gate plate generally parallel to the fixed plate, and an axle extending between the fixed plate and gate plate adjacent to a pulley end, the fixed plate having a handle hole adjacent to a handle end and being attached to the handle at the pulley hole such that the gate plate handle hole is axially aligned with and rotatable about the pulley hole, the gate plate having a handle hole adjacent to a handle end;   (c) a pulley mounted between the fixed plate and the gate plate to rotate on the axle; and   (d) a rope slot defined by the fixed plate, the gate plate, the pulley, and the handle, the slot designed to receive a rope such that the rope can reciprocate freely through the slot.   
     
     
         2 . The friction brake tether of  claim 1  wherein the handle is shaped to fit in the hand. 
     
     
         3 . The friction brake tether of  claim 1  wherein the gate plate is rotatable about the pulley axle between a closed position, wherein the gate plate handle hole is axially aligned with the pulley hole, and an open position, wherein the gate plate handle hole is not aligned with the pulley hole, thereby providing access to the rope slot. 
     
     
         4 . The friction brake tether of  claim 1  wherein the pulley is completely within the perimeter of the fixed plate and the gate plate. 
     
     
         5 . The friction brake tether of  claim 1  wherein the fixed plate rotates about the pulley hole between stops that limit rotation of the fixed plate. 
     
     
         6 . The friction brake tether of  claim 1  further comprising an open-sided jaw mounted to rotate about the brake hole and adapted to receive a friction brake. 
     
     
         7 . The friction brake tether of  claim 6  wherein the jaw rotates about the brake hole between a free position at a lower stop and a brake position at an upper stop. 
     
     
         8 . The friction brake tether of  claim 7  further comprising a spring that biases the jaw away from the free position to a tensioned position between the free position and the brake position. 
     
     
         9 . A friction brake tether comprising:
 (a) an elongated rigid handle having a brake end and a pulley end, the brake end having a through brake hole and the pulley end having a through pulley hole;   (b) an open-sided jaw mounted to rotate about the brake hole between a free position at a lower stop and a brake position at an upper stop, and adapted to receive a friction brake;   (c) a pulley arm including a fixed plate, a gate plate generally parallel to the fixed plate, and an axle extending between the fixed plate and gate plate adjacent to a pulley end, the fixed plate having a handle hole adjacent to a handle end and being attached to the handle at the pulley hole such that the fixed plate handle hole is axially aligned with and rotatable about the pulley hole between stops that limit rotation of the fixed plate, the gate plate having a handle hole adjacent to a handle end, the gate plate being rotatable about the pulley axle between a closed position, wherein the gate plate handle hole is axially aligned with the pulley hole, and an open position, wherein the gate plate handle hole is not aligned with the pulley hole, thereby providing access to the rope slot;   (d) a pulley mounted between the fixed plate and the gate plate to rotate on the axle, the pulley being completely within the perimeter of the fixed plate and the gate plate; and   (e) a rope slot defined by the fixed plate, the gate plate, the pulley, and the handle, the slot designed to receive a rope such that the rope can reciprocate freely through the slot.   
     
     
         10 . The friction brake tether of  claim 9  wherein the handle is shaped to fit in the hand. 
     
     
         11 . The friction brake tether of  claim 9  further comprising a spring that biases the jaw away from the free position to a tensioned position between the free position and the brake position. 
     
     
         12 . A friction brake tether assembly comprising:
 (a) an elongated rigid handle having a brake end and a pulley end, the brake end having a through brake hole and the pulley end having a through pulley hole;   (b) a friction brake mounted to rotate about the brake hole;   (c) a pulley arm including a fixed plate, a gate plate generally parallel to the fixed plate, and an axle extending between the fixed plate and gate plate adjacent to a pulley end, the fixed plate having a handle hole adjacent to a handle end and being attached to the handle at the pulley hole such that the gate plate handle hole is axially aligned with and rotatable about the pulley hole, the gate plate having a handle hole adjacent to a handle end;   (d) a pulley mounted to rotate on the axle between the fixed plate and the gate plate;   (e) a rope slot defined by the fixed plate, the gate plate, the pulley, and the handle, the slot designed to receive a rope such that the rope can reciprocate freely through the slot.   
     
     
         13 . The friction brake tether assembly of  claim 12  wherein the handle is shaped to fit in the hand. 
     
     
         14 . The friction brake tether assembly of  claim 12  wherein the gate plate is rotatable about the pulley axle between a closed position, wherein the gate plate handle hole is axially aligned with the pulley hole, and an open position, wherein the gate plate handle hole is not aligned with the pulley hole, thereby providing access to the rope slot. 
     
     
         15 . The friction brake tether assembly of  claim 12  wherein the pulley is completely within the perimeter of the fixed plate and the gate plate. 
     
     
         16 . The friction brake tether assembly of  claim 12  wherein the fixed plate rotates about the pulley hole between stops that limit rotation of the fixed plate. 
     
     
         17 . The friction brake tether assembly of  claim 12  wherein the friction brake is captured by a jaw that is mounted to rotate about the brake hole. 
     
     
         18 . The friction brake tether assembly of  claim 17  wherein the jaw rotates about the brake hole between a free position at a lower stop and a brake position at an upper stop. 
     
     
         19 . The friction brake tether of  claim 18  further comprising a spring that biases the jaw away from the free position to a tensioned position between the free position and the brake position. 
     
     
         20 . A friction brake tether assembly comprising:
 (a) an elongated rigid handle having a brake end and a pulley end, the brake end having a through brake hole and the pulley end having a through pulley hole;   (b) an open-sided jaw mounted to rotate about the brake hole between a free position at a lower stop and a brake position at an upper stop, and adapted to receive a friction brake;   (c) a friction brake mounted to rotate about the brake hole and captured by the jaw;   (d) a pulley arm including a fixed plate, a gate plate generally parallel to the fixed plate, and an axle extending between the fixed plate and gate plate adjacent to a pulley end, the fixed plate having a handle hole adjacent to a handle end and being attached to the handle at the pulley hole such that the fixed plate handle hole is axially aligned with and rotatable about the pulley hole between stops that limit rotation of the fixed plate, the gate plate having a handle hole adjacent to a handle end, the gate plate being rotatable about the pulley axle between a closed position, wherein the gate plate handle hole is axially aligned with the pulley hole, and an open position, wherein the gate plate handle hole is not aligned with the pulley hole, thereby providing access to the rope slot;   (e) a pulley mounted between the fixed plate and the gate plate to rotate on the axle, the pulley being completely within the perimeter of the fixed plate and the gate plate; and   (f) a rope slot defined by the fixed plate, the gate plate, the pulley, and the handle, the slot designed to receive a rope such that the rope can reciprocate freely through the slot.   
     
     
         21 . The friction brake tether assembly of  claim 20  wherein the handle is shaped to fit in the hand. 
     
     
         22 . The friction brake tether assembly of  claim 20  further comprising a spring that biases the jaw away from the free position to a tensioned position between the free position and the brake position.